


Corrupt

by Charanko



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Tokyo Ghoul, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2019-05-16 05:52:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14805590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charanko/pseuds/Charanko
Summary: [MPxIM] (Tokyo Ghoul inspired/based AU)Elsword is a ghoul investigator. When he was young, his sister and closest best friend went missing but in reality, they were devoured by the ghouls, as told by the CCG. Since then, Elsword had trained and worked hard to avenge his loved ones. However, after seeing actual ghouls and how the CCG operated, he begins to have second thoughts. He decides to follow his own convictions causing his life to spiral into a direction he didn't expect.





	1. Herald Of The Angel

**Author's Note:**

> This idea/suggestion/req etc. came from Nekomancer~! Thank you very much and I apologize for taking so long especially if you're not around anymore OTL  
> This is the last work I'm releasing for now and will be simultaneously be working on with the ones I have posted already. Since the TG 3 anime is out right now I thought it would be a good time to upload it :D I felt that this story came more naturally than the others for with the others I edited and thought about it a lot for a long while before I was satisfied.
> 
> I'm still reading/watching the series so there are many things I don't know. There may be many inaccuracies and changes/alterations but it is based off of the TG universe. There are also probably many tags but I'm not sure what to put so I'll just leave it as is.
> 
> I'll be using the Transformation/3rd line classes (MP, IM, HE, etc.) + PO.

~“ _High above in the rafters you hear the angel’s laughter. Through the colored windows now coated in red, adults never dare to tread. But the children are safe for the angel loves them for their purity blooms like wildflowers._ ”~

            “Don’t you think children are silly? They say the strangest things yet they seem so innocent,” Ara giggled as she watched the small children run past singing that random strange song.

            “Children know more than you think,” Elsword remarked as he too, watched them pass by. He got up and dusted his pants.

            “Is it time to head back?”

            “Yeah, but you go on without me. There is something I wanna check out.”

            Ara looked at him confused. This wasn’t new but Ara never understood what was on Elsword’s mind. “Okay, I’ll see you back at headquarters then.” Ara got up and left.

            Elsword headed towards the kids. “Hey guys, could you tell me more about that song you were singing?”

            One of the boys replied, “He is this tall tall angel who protects the church!”

            “No, he’s a ghost who scares people!” A little girl retorted.

            “Whatever he is, he just stays there. The kid at the church knows more about it than we do.”

            “What do you mean?” Elsword inquired.

            “There is a kid like us who always stays near the church. We can’t see his face too well because he’s always wearing a hood. He tells us to stay away from the church because of that angel or ghost even though it doesn’t hurt children. We ask him to play but he always seems to disappear.”

            “That place is bad!” Another boy shouted. “It’s like that hooded kid said! The angel took my father!”

            “Who was your father?” Elsword asked, bending down to reach the kid’s level.

            “He was a popular man, sir. He used to say the weather on TV. One night, dad told us that he was going to go somewhere. When mom asked, he said it was something important. So I followed him but I didn’t stay too close. And when he went inside the church, I-I-I heard a scream and I saw a shadow in the window that looked like wings! I ran so fast, not looking back. Mom asked where I was and why was I crying but at the time I was so scared. Dad didn’t come home that night. And he never did come home at all after that. My mom said she called the police to find him but they never did. I told them about the church but we were told there was nothing there. I know there is something there, I know it!” The kid was sobbing when he finished. Elsword handed the kid some tissues and candy.

            “I’m sorry that happened. But, I believe you kid.” Elsword got up. “Thanks kids for the information.” He tossed out more candy and waved good bye. This was the work of a ghoul. It was obvious. But as to why headquarters didn’t find out about this one was a mystery.

-/-/-/

            “Hey Chung, can you look up some stuff for me?” Elsword asked as he tossed some papers and files on Chung’s desk. Chung’s office was on the fifth floor of the CCG (Commission of Counter Ghoul) building. Spanning across behind his desk was pure glass. The view was amazing.

            “Hey, at least hand it to me properly!” Chung scolded as he fixed the papers and folders in a neat pile. He scanned through them with his piercing blue eyes. “So you want info on recent deaths located in this area; particularly of this man who used to be a weather man on TV? Is it a lead?”

            Elsword propped himself on Chung’s desk. “I don’t know yet. Also look for those labeled missing.” He swiped a donut from a pink box that laid on the desk.

            Chung sighed at Elsword’s bad manners.  “Do you want coffee with that?”

            “Yeah, that’ll be nice.”

            “Okay. I still question how you got such a high ranking.” Chung shook his head and got up to make some coffee.

            Elsword munched on the sugary donut reflecting on what Chung had said. His first ghoul kill was “The Bandit.” He had escaped investigators twice but the third time, “The Bandit” wasn’t lucky. He was a ghoul who not only killed people to eat but also stole a lot of things, including an investigator’s quinque. Tips said that he was lurking in the underground sewers. Elsword and Ara were sent along with other teams to eliminate him. Ara had gotten lost so Elsword, ignoring orders, went to look for her. When he found her, he also found “The Bandit,” who was hiding and ambushed them. “The Bandit” stood no chance for Elsword’s rage flared up and he mincemeat the guy. He was promoted along with Ara without hesitation. That was two years ago and since then, Elsword and Ara became partners solving many cases and dispatching many ghouls. Elsword was now a first class investigator and Ara was a rank one investigator. There was talk of having Elsword take over a ward due to lack of investigators, for his leadership skills were excellent. But he made it clear that he would refuse, preferring to stay where he was. He also felt more free this way. People wondered why for he would have a high honoring rank. They thought Elsword was being humble, but the true reason was that over the course of two years, Elsword, who was fueled with revenge like many of the other investigators, had calmed down and began questioning if what they were doing was the right thing.

            “Chung, how are quinques made?” Elsword asked out of the blue.

            Chung finished Elsword’s coffee and handed it to him and sighed. “You always ask me this, Elsword. And I always tell you the same. They are made from a ghoul’s hunting organ; the kagune. We extract them if exposed once the ghoul is killed.”

            “So, in a way, I’m kind of holding a per- I mean ghoul in my hands?”

            “It’s only a part of them so it’s not really them.” Chung sighed. “Elsword, are you okay? I said you always ask this but really it’s only been these past few months. Remember, all ghouls are monsters who prey on humans. Humans need to be protected. They killed my father.” Chung paused. “...your closest best friend, _and_ your sister.” Elsword flinched. “We can’t let them get away with this. We can’t let anyone else be harmed. Ghouls are not human. Remember your determination, Elsword. I worry about you.”

            Elsword remained silent for a minute, thinking. He then chugged down the steaming coffee and tossed the cup into the trash bin. “Call me when you find the info.” Elsword stated as he slid off the desk. He left with Chung staring and hoping that Elsword won’t stray off the righteous path.


	2. The Initial Fall From "Heaven"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsword decides to "investigate" the "angel" of the church by himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instead of "Doves" I changed it to "Crows."

“Elsword, where are you going?” Ara asked, stopping her exercises.

            “Just outside.” Elsword stated. He lingered at the door. “Don’t worry about me,” he added. Ara couldn’t hide the concern on her face. He always did this and soon after, a report of a missing person or rather, a death of a ghoul is announced throughout headquarters. Or sometimes, there isn’t an announcement and he would come back all beat up. However, these past months, nothing had been happening when he went out and came back. Perhaps it was okay now, but still...

            “You don’t have to carry the burden on your own! I’m here!”

            Elsword was taken aback at the sudden outburst but he reverted back to calmness in an instant. He then laughed and smiled. His eyes were cast down as he stared at nothing in the corner. “Thanks. I know I can count on you, Ara. But really, I’m just stepping out for some fresh air. I’ll be back.” Elsword then walked out. Ara wasn’t sure what to think. Elsword hadn’t been telling her anything as of late. Also, there were rumors about him becoming “soft.” Chung would sometimes rant about it. Maybe she should follow Elsword? But that would mean she didn’t trust him.

            “But I trust him! But I’m also worried. Ahhh, what should I do?” Ara took her quinque, a bikaku spear, in her hands and gazed upon it. The light shone on its white silvery metal coat with its gold and red veins creeping through it like vines. “What do you think, Eun?”

-/-/-/

            Elsword arrived at the abandoned church with his quinque briefcase and a cardboard cup holder with fresh cups of coffee. The moon gleamed above and before him stood a small figure of a child. The moment the child saw him, the child panicked and ran inside the church before Elsword could say anything.

            The worn front doors of the church were locked so Elsword circled around towards the back door which was left ajar. Elsword pushed the door wider, causing it to creak. It was dark save for the multi colored light that filtered through the stain glassed windows. Dust floated everywhere and a few pews were broken in splinters. The stench of death drenched everything.

            “Leave,” A voice echoed throughout the church, authoritative and clear. It was difficult to tell where the voice was coming from. Elsword rested his quinque case near the back exit and proceeded to walk towards the altar with the coffee in hand. He sat down cross-legged a few feet in front of the altar.

            “I just want to talk,” Elsword stated. Elsword could feel the ghoul’s piercing eyes searching and analyzing the situation. A dark shadow moved fast. It leaped upon a small ledge that stood in front of a stain glassed window above. The moon illuminated the colors and blood stains splattered upon it. The figure spread its “wings”, causing them to shine bright white and purple. The tension was high but the killing vibe wasn’t. The ghoul seemed to be wary but not outright hostile. “Here, I have some coffee for you.” Elsword placed one of the cups before him.

            The ghoul let out a sarcastic laugh. “You’re not kidding me, are you?” He scoffed.

            “I’m serious.”

            “What’s a damn crow doing talking with a ghoul?” He laughed some more. “This has _got_ to be some kind of joke. All you guys do is kill us left and right. So what now? You found me out. What kind of stupid name are you guys gonna call me? Angel?” Without warning, the ghoul rushed towards Elsword and with his ukaku kagune, he scratched the side of Elsword’s face. Blood dripped down Elsword’s cheek. Elsword remained calm and sipped his coffee. The ghoul sniffed the appealing aroma of cut flesh. It agitated him and his breathing quickened. He circled around once and then stopped behind Elsword. A shard was taken from his kagune and placed a few centimeters away from Elsword’s exposed neck. “Aren’t you afraid?” The ghoul’s hand shook slightly from either excitement or in attempts to restrain himself.

            “I’m the only one here and my weapon is back there so I can’t fight back. At least talk and enjoy coffee with me before killing me. Although, I don’t think that you actually want to kill me. It wouldn’t be a good idea after all.”

            “I’ll kill you! I mean it!” The ghoul pressed the shard upon Elsword’s skin causing for a drop of blood to trickle down.

            “Then why are you hesitating? Why didn’t you kill me on the spot? Like you said, I’m a crow; a threat.” Elsword continued enjoying his coffee. He had heard those same lines and faced similar situations countless of times.

            The ghoul paused, catching a whiff of the coffee. He seemed to be thinking. After a minute, he retracted his kagune and sat across Elsword. His movements continued to be cautious and alert. “I could care less what the crows do as long as it has nothing to do with me. Sucks for those other ghouls but I don’t care about them either. So, what the hell do you want?”

            Elsword was glad that the ghoul seemed interested enough in him to talk. “I want you to stop and to leave this place.”

            “What?”

            “I want you to stop doing what you’re doing.”

            “Listen to yourself, dumbass! You’re asking a natural killing machine to stop killing. Do you know how stupid that is?!” The ghoul picked up the coffee with ginger and slender fingers, examining it.

            “It’s not poisoned or anything.” Elsword took this moment to study the ghoul. He seemed to have really long silvery hair but his face was hidden from the cat hood he wore. His clothes were black and purple and hugged the ghoul’s body tight. His skin was as pale as paper and his teeth was as sharp as a shark’s.

            The ghoul sipped the coffee. “Oh, this is pretty good. But that’s beside the point. You’re asking the impossible. In fact, this whole situation is ridiculous! You’re such an idiot! Maybe the biggest one I’ve met! You’re practically staring death in the face.”

            “You spare the children.” The ghoul remained silent. “In fact you don’t attack just anyone. You only target middle aged men who have become corrupt and avoid anyone else.” Elsword pulled out a folded photo from his pocket. “See this man? Remember him? He was that well known weather man on channel 9. I had details dug up about him and found out he used underhanded methods to increase his status throughout his social circles. He had cheated on his wife on several occasions and aided in a few drug smuggling operations. He also seemed to be in support of something called ‘ _Project Negative A_.’” At this, the ghoul’s finger twitched. “Now that I’m thinking about it, I believe there was an incident a year ago of a cat hooded ghoul who massacred a whole room of congress men who also had their fair share of misdeeds. They too seemed to be in cahoots with ‘ _Project Negative A_ ’. They dubbed the ghoul that attacked that day as the “Mad Paradox” due to the insane laughter the ghoul emitted as he killed the men and how everyone let down their guard thinking it was a simple child but was actually a young adult ghoul. But despite of what I said, what I really mean to say is: I don’t think you’re entirely bad.”

            The ghoul shifted, feeling the discomfort pressure upon him. What Elsword said had caught him off guard and he struggled to swallow the words. His voice had a slight tremble in it. “Are you sure you’re a crow? I’m having second thoughts. What you know and what you’re doing don’t match up...”

Elsword smirked at his success. The ghoul was confused and bewildered, just as he had planned. The info Chung dug up paid off. “We’re no different. The CCG are a bunch of hypocritical bastards. When it comes to criminals, some of them receive the death penalty. How is that anything different to what you’re doing? All those men you killed either bribed the police or eluded any investigations. Only when they died did the truth come to light. You definitely did more than the police would ever do.” Elsword stared down at the bubbles in his coffee. He twirled his cup around to see them spin in a small whirlpool. “The CCG keeps on telling us that we must save all humans but that’s just a load of bullshit. It’s an excuse so that they can look good while refusing to come to an understanding as they torture and brutally kill many innocent ghouls. Even if the ghouls did do wrong, they shouldn’t be tortured or killed in disrespectful ways. I mean, it’s not your guys’ fault that you can only eat humans. Your kind have emotions, dreams, goals, aspirations and the like. You even look similar to us save for your special organs. I realize you all have to eat but there are ways like eating people who have died naturally or by other causes. You don’t have to kill people. And if only we could get together and have people donate organs, blood, or something or have scientists figure out a way to generate food suitable for you guys, things would be much more peaceful.”

            “Ku ku ku! You’re interesting, very interesting. What you say is true. The only difference between us is our body structure and our diet.” The ghoul glanced up at Elsword. For a second, he saw the ghoul’s black sclera eyes. “You don’t even deny that humans are hypocritical creatures...” A wide unsettling grin spread across the ghoul’s face. The discomfort from before had disappeared. “A person like you is dangerous...Not that it matters or affects me though.” He stood up and dusted his pants. “It was getting pretty bland hanging around here anyway. I’ll let you go because you’ve entertained me. But really, you’re such a weirdo.” The cup was emptied save for a small brown ring at the bottom. The ghoul pointed at the cup with his shoe. “Say, where did you get this?”

            Elsword beamed as he got up and picked up the leftover trash. “I made it.” He turned to leave but halted for a moment. “Ah, what’s your name, by the way? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

            The ghoul hesitated for a bit. “Ed—I mean Add.”

            “Later then, Add. Have a good life!” Elsword waved his hand and retrieved his briefcase. He left, whistling. Add waited a while before walking outside. He looked around but Elsword had already gone.

-/-/-

            “Elsword, you’re back! But what’s this?” Ara asked as she touched his wounds. She had decided to remain put, trusting Elsword.

            “Oh this? Just a few cuts,” he replied. Ara went to get a first aid kit. She applied disinfectant and band aids. “Thanks Ara.”

            Ara smiled and nodded in return but she couldn’t help but to wonder what happened. He hadn’t come back injured in some time. Did he fight a ghoul by himself? Just what exactly was Elsword hiding?


	3. Close Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Add leaves his home in search of a new one and runs into someone unexpected.

Add stood on top of a tall building staring at the shining city lights below. This particular night held a shivering cold that intensified with the light breezes that whisked through the atmosphere. His backpack contained what little belongings he had. He agreed to abandon his home but where was he going to go now? Add glided and hopped from building to building scanning the view below. Some ghouls were prowling about, waiting for their unsuspecting prey to wander into the dark alleyways. However, it was pretty late so there weren’t many people walking around. Add traversed towards the outskirts of town. Maybe he could go to an unruly ward like the “Hell” ward where no crows nested. It would be difficult to get food though for there wouldn’t be many people living in the area. The same would hold for desolated wards like the “Void” ward. It wouldn’t do good to live in a peaceful ward like the “Heaven” ward for Add would get caught in no time if he caused trouble. The current ward Add lived in was called the “Roots” ward due to both the giant tree that resided in the middle of the city and the fact that the CCG began here. Despite it being the birthplace of the CCG, ghoul crimes happened often. This was because the top brass of the CCG did not reside here but rather in the “Heaven” ward where everything was “perfect.”

A sudden load of pressure halted Add in his tracks. The killing intent was suffocating enough to impale a mighty ghoul with fear. Add darted his eyes around looking for the source. A female’s shrill scream pierced his ears. Some distance away was a mother on the ground, backing away with a child in her arms. Add couldn’t see who the ghoul attacking her was. All that could be seen was part of a black and dark blue kagune of some sorts. Add’s immediate thought was that that had nothing to do with him.

“Please, spare my child! E-eat me only if you need to!” The mother pleaded. Add stared at the child then at the mom and felt a feeling of familiarity. He grit his teeth and rushed towards them. Before the unknown ghoul attacked, Add scooped up the mother and child and made an attempt of a jump and dash. However, he didn’t get far.

“RUN!” Add commanded the mother and child as he blocked an attack that shattered his kagune and forced him a few steps back. “Ah fuck. This is what I get for meddling into other people’s business. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

“Nya ha ha ha! Ciel, what’s taking so long? I’m hungry! If you don’t hurry up, I’ll just go hunt down prey myself!” A female’s ghoul’s voice shouted from afar. Add’s legs wobbled and he emitted nervous laughs. ‘ _ _That can’t be__ ,’ Add thought. What was the leader of the “Hell” ward doing here? Ciel, the unknown ghoul who was attacking, stood in front of Add about a stone’s throw away. He was terrifying in person, Add thought. Everyone talked about him and his master. Also, the rumors seemed to be true about Ciel being a kakuja. Black detailed armor much like some kind of elegant bug was engraved around Ciel’s body. His eyes seemed soulless and sorrowful. Add knew not to let down his guard but also, as much as he hated admitting it, that he stood no chance. Sweat beaded down his face. He glanced at the corner of his eye and didn’t see the mother or child anywhere. “Tsk, did they get away? And who is this?” Ciel’s master appeared behind him. She was disappointed and irritated. “Not that it matters. Let’s kill this one!” Add spread out his kagune and fled. His heart surged in his ears and everything he passed blurred in long streaks. He glanced behind and saw them far away but he didn’t stop fleeing until he reached the middle of the city. Their movements would be limited if exposed to more eyes, he thought. Add was out of breath as he placed a hand on the large sturdy tree trunk to keep him steady. He hadn’t exerted himself this much in a long while. Add slumped down, still heaving heavy breaths and wiping off his sweat. Several ghouls staying in the tree branches came down to see what was going on.

“You okay man?” One of them asked.

“Y-yeah…” Add replied. “The leader of Hell was here with her servant.”

“W-what?!” Several of the other ghouls heard this and panicked.

“What is she doing here?” “Does she think she can take on the CCG?” “Maybe she was too hungry…” Were several of the comments made by the other ghouls.

“Hey, aren’t you the guy who lives at the church?” A ghoul with an alpaca by his side asked. Add was hesitant to admit it. The ghoul seemed to have gotten the hint. “Well whether you are him or not, your home was raided not too long ago. Word spreads fast y’know? You got lucky. It was “The Centurion” crow guy. He and a bunch of his followers checked the place out.”

“Was a redhead with them?” Add asked. ‘ _ _That abnormal guy meant what he said__ ,’ Add thought.

“You mean the dual wielder that never dies? Nah, he wasn’t with them.”

Add sighed in unexpected relief. Add could care less about the names and descriptions of crows. He just knew that they were the “enemies” that were trying to wipe out ghoul kind. All of them were the same to him. However, this one guy sparked his interest due to him saving his life and his interesting way of thinking. “What’s his name?”

“I only know his code or title name which is Immortal. He’s just that good. Loads of ghouls are scared of him. Remember “The Bandit?” He ended him by himself, I heard.”

‘ _ _What a prideful name,__ ’ Add thought. ‘ _ _Immortal__.’

-/-/-/

“Are you sure there is nothing?” Chung pressed.

“Nothing at all, sir,” one of the investigators replied.

“Damn everything.” Chung dialed Elsword.

Elsword was fast asleep at his apartment. He murmured and turned in his sleep upon hearing his phone vibrate. Reluctant, he opened his eyes and in groggy movements, picked up his phone and answered. “Yeah?”

“Don’t yeah me! What did you do? Where is the ghoul? Did you dispose of him?”

“I dunno what you’re talking about.” Elsword yawned causing Chung to become even more irritated.

“Don’t play dumb! At least tell me if it was a false alarm or something…” Chung’s voice softened. “I’m just worried about you. You can’t just go off facing these kinds of things alone. What if something happens? You’re my friend and I don’t want to lose you…nor anyone else.”

Elsword had a hunch that Chung and some other people of the CCG were suspecting him of doing suspicious activity as of late. They were probably monitoring him now rather than letting him roam free like before. “I thought I had a lead, so I went to go check but there was nobody there.” Elsword was impressed by Add erasing his traces so fast like that.

“Are you sure?” Chung could never tell if Elsword was lying or not.

“Yeah man. I’m going to go back to sleep now.”

“Wait-!” Chung dismayed for Elsword had hung up. There really was nothing here. The stain glassed windows were clean. No residue of any kind of body or ghoul remained. Maybe he was getting too paranoid. But one thing for sure was that his trust in Elsword was wavering.


	4. A Ghoul, A Human, A Devil, Or An Angel?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsword is placed on leave due to mistrust within his workplace. As he walks home, he gets a surprise visit.

“I’ve heard you’ve been at it again,” Elsword’s boss stated with his real hand folded with his other mechanical hand and elbows resting upon his desk. Elsword averted his eyes. Raven, his boss, was somewhat of a father to him and all the investigators at this headquarters being one of the ones who trained them. The reason why he was here was because he was filled with regret, remorse, and revenge. His arm had been taken by a ghoul along with his fiance and friends. His hatred for the ghouls was understandable. But, it wasn’t all ghouls who were guilty now, was it? “Because of this, I’m giving you forced vacation.” Elsword darted his incredulous eyes back at Raven and he wanted to say something but instead he bit his lip. “We only worry for your safety, so if you have anything you’re hiding, tell me now.”

“Nothing happened,” Elsword said immediate and with slight edge to his voice. He flinched realizing his blunder.

“Why were you looking up recent killings of middle aged men then? Is there a ghoul out there who kills middle aged men? Do you know where they are?”

Elsword picked his words with care. “...There was a kid I talked to and he just said that his dad disappeared one day so I thought it would be a ghoul since they found nothing of the father’s body or whereabouts.” Elsword wasn’t exactly lying. He hoped Raven would buy it.

Raven stared at Elsword for a bit before sighing. “That seems like you. Did you figure out anything?”

“No. I just checked likely places where the ghoul might be but there was nothing.”

“I see. Regardless, I’m still putting you on leave.” Elsword could see in Raven’s eyes and expression that he didn’t trust him. In fact, he had a gut feeling __none__  of his colleagues like Chung trusted him now. “If you behave, I’ll tell you about the ghoul who murdered your sister and your dearest best friend.” Elsword tensed up and the fast impact of silence after the last word left Raven’s mouth felt constricting. Elsword bit his lip again, furrowed his brows, and held tight onto the bottom of his shirt. Raven’s gaze pierced Elsword’s psyche. He had no hesitation pulling Elsword’s puppet strings.

Elsword struggled with his thoughts, debating if he should say something or not. And if he did say something, what words should he even say? Add’s voice echoed in his mind, ‘ _ _You don’t even deny that humans are hypocritical creatures__.’ Elsword’s grip loosened and he sighed. He turned and left Raven’s office without a word.

-/-/-

“You’re leaving already?” Ara asked as she peeked behind Elsword’s shoulder as he was putting away papers he had scattered on the table.

“Yeah. I won’t be back for a while.”

“Why not?!”

Elsword paused and sighed again. “I was placed on temporary leave.” Elsword grabbed his quinque suitcase. They would expect him to leave this here. Something shiny caught Elsword’s eye. He looked under the suitcase and found a tracker device.

“How come? Was it because of yesterday?”

Elsword took off the tracking device. “Something like that.” He turned to face Ara and once he did, he saw her have a serious frown.

“Elsword, you never tell me anything.” Elsword looked away. “We’re partners. I want to help you.”

“Have you noticed?”

“Noticed?”

“Nobody here trusts me anymore. That’s why the boss is kicking me out for a bit. That way I can’t cause trouble right?”

“I’m sure you did nothing wrong!”

“Mmm, I don’t know about that.” Elsword sat down in one of the chairs. Ara followed suit. Elsword stared into Ara’s eyes. “Have you ever thought that sometimes things don’t really seem right or wrong?”

Ara was taken aback and she became sorrowful. “Yeah. Those times I wonder, why? I don’t say anything because I don’t know anything. I…am a bit of an airhead as everyone knows.” Ara attempted to laugh but it faded. Her gaze fell onto her quinque that stood at a corner of the room.

“Everyone has their own sense of what’s right and what’s wrong but there’s gonna be those people who think they are a hundred percent right all the time and force that onto other people. When it gets to those times, it’s hard to tell what is the ‘right’ way. Just because you have a lot of power doesn’t mean you’re right you know. In the end, I guess it just comes down to what’s in your gut and heart.” Elsword stood up. “Anyways, I’m gonna get going. I dunno when I’ll be back but take care of yourself, okay?”

“Elsword! Is there anything I can do? I still trust you and always will, Elsword. You’re my partner and my friend. So, please, have faith and trust in me.”

Elsword smiled. Everyone else may distrust him but it was reassuring that Ara still believed in him. Elsword hummed and twiddled with the tracking device in his hand. “Hmm…there is one thing.”

-/-/-/

The afternoon sun baked the streets causing the illusion of waves lapping over the concrete. Elsword had a blank look on his face as he walked through the crowd towards his apartment. Before he reached there, however, he sensed someone was following him. He turned around the corner into an alleyway. “What do you want?” Elsword asked without turning around.

“Ku ku ku, as expected,” the voice behind him said.

Elsword recognized that voice. He whipped around and saw Add. He wasn’t wearing his hood and his magenta eyes gleamed in delight. His long cascading silvery hair almost touched the floor. “Yo, Add.” Elsword wasn’t expecting to see him around the vicinity again but he kept his cool.

“Hnn, it is you~! I’ve heard some things about you. I’m glad I’ve found you so quickly…” Without warning again, Add’s eyes flashed black and red and in a blink of an eye, his face was mere centimeters away from Elsword’s. He laughed and took a step back when he saw that Elsword didn’t flinch, just like that night. Elsword stared at him, indifferent. “What’s wrong? You seem gloomy today.”

“Yeah. Sorry I’m not in the mood right now.” Elsword was about to turn but Add stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t have a place to stay now so I was thinking of crashing at your place.”

Elsword rose an eyebrow. “You…do know I work for the CCG, right?”

“Which is why it’s perfect. No one would suspect a thing. It might seem crazy but no one would suspect a Crow who tends to harbor hate towards ghouls to actually host one, right? Besides, you need to take responsibility now.”

Elsword smirked. “Ahh, ahh I don’t know about that~” He placed his hands behind his head. “Because of you, I’ve been placed on temporary leave.” He glanced to the side, faking regret. Add gazed down in guilt. Elsword lowered his hands and grinned. “But, I’m glad you’re alive. It was worth it.”

A flicker of warmness licked Add’s heart and a tiny shiver of excitement and happiness coursed through his body. Never would he thought to hear those words come from anybody let alone a human. “So, is that a yes?”

“Yeah sure, why not? No one bothers to look at my apartment anyway because I’m not there too often. I’m heading there right now.”

Add followed Elsword to his home, happy that he got a place to stay. He had thought about this for a while and let his curiosity take over. It increased when he realized that Elsword wasn’t scared of him at all and was even willing to take him to his home. He must have been confident that he could defend himself if something happened. Add gazed at Elsword and saw him grimacing. Being forced to leave his work must have taken a large toll on him, Add surmised.

“Hmm?” Elsword noticed Add staring.

“Nothing,” Add stated.

Elsword looked back to the front. “What you said when I first met you went through my mind not too long ago. About knowing that people are hypocrites. It helped me calm down a bit because I didn’t want to be one.” Add remained silent, seeing if Elsword would continue or talk about what happened. “It’s frustrating and difficult not to be selfish. How can I not get angry? And then whom I work for doesn’t make it any better.” They arrived at an apartment building. Elsword escorted Add into the elevator to the third floor. “I’m at the end. It has a nice view of the city.” Elsword’s apartment was sparkly clean. Add’s heart leapt in joy at all the organization and cleanliness. It was the least thing he expected from Elsword for he didn’t seem like the type. “Sit down, make yourself at home, and I’ll make you a cup of coffee.” Add did as he was told. Elsword headed to the kitchen and began brewing. It smelled so delicious. “Here.” Eager, Add took the cup and gulped it down.

“That hits the spot,” Add mused. He could get used to this.

“Glad you like it. You can sleep wherever you want except where I’m happening to be sleeping at the time.” Elsword waved and went into his room and flopped onto his bed. What was he doing? Elsword’s mind was a mess. So much so that he wasn’t paying attention to what was actually happening. He kept thinking about what Raven said about telling him about his sister’s and best friend’s murderer. Before, he would have been raging and demanding that Raven tell him at that immediate moment. But now, Elsword thought about other circumstances such as what if the ghoul was hungry and couldn’t help it? But at the same time it was his beloved sister and friend who were eaten. The world isn’t fair and it never would be. Elsword knew he had to cope with it somehow. It was hard to forgive that ghoul and Elsword struggled letting it go, but he knew it would be better for him if he did. Revenge was what fueled him, too, to join the CCG but Elsword soon learned that everything was so unjustified, so skewed, and so gray with no distinct rights or wrongs. Elsword punched his bed in frustration. He took a deep breath and tried to think of something else. In the living room he could hear Add watching TV. Elsword just went with the flow of things and allowed Add to stay with him. What kind of consequences would this bring forth? His nature didn’t allow him to turn away from somebody in need. ‘ _ _Wait. Oh yeah, Add is a ghoul. Ah man, what have I done?__ ’ Elsword thought. But then curiosity took over. What would it be like living in close quarters with a ghoul? There were several accounts of people doing this whether they knew it or not. And they live out there blending in with people. People could take their experience as a positive example and see that it is possible to coexist with them in peace. If things go well, that is.

Elsword wasn’t afraid of Add one bit. If he tried anything funny, he was ready to restrain him. He also knew now what Add looked like without the hood. It was strange as to why Add was doing this. He’s putting himself in danger after all. Ironic though, that Add “trusted” him more than his own coworkers, besides Ara of course. Maybe he wanted to get close to info locked behind CCG doors? There was that incident he committed before too… Elsword decided to ask him direct. He got up and went to sit next to Add.

“So…what are you really looking for? Secret info? A meal? It sort of just hit me that I’m letting you stay here,” Elsword said nonchalant.

Add stared at him for a few moments, before smirking. “I’m honestly surprised too at how easy it was to persuade you. Info? Food? You would think that wouldn’t you? But I had no such intentions. Besides actually needing a place to stay, remember I said I found you intriguing? I’m curious, you can say, about the man who thinks we can coexist with each other and how he has his own morals. You’re not afraid, I can tell. It’s already amusing that you bothered to talk to me that night and now you’re letting me stay. I’m quite entertained and I would like for that to continue.” Add looked away and blushed. “…And your coffee is pretty good.”

Seeing Add blush reaffirmed Elsword’s belief on how similar ghouls were to humans. Elsword couldn’t help but to emit a gentle smile. It didn’t seem like Add was lying but Elsword found it amazing that a smart being like him would have such a simple motive or desire. “That makes two of us. I’m pretty interested in you too.”

Add cackled. “What a way to say that…Anyways, for letting me stay, I have a piece of interesting information for you.” Add’s expression became serious. “The leader of the Hell ward is here.” Elsword felt a cold shock zip right through. “I don’t know what she is doing here. But if you’re getting a lot of reports of missing people more than usual, it’s probably her.”

Elsword bit his lip. Nobody in the CCG knew about this nor have they picked up on any abnormalities recently. Add wasn’t lying about this either it seems. Elsword couldn’t do anything right now either due to him being on leave. This was beyond critical. The leader of the Hell ward was called “Satan.” As edgy as that sounds, everyone in the CCG agreed with the name for she murdered the top CCG investigators that used to live in that ward along with many other investigators, ghouls, and people. Only the strong existed in that ward and that wasn’t many. For her to move wards was something not to be taken light. “How did you find this out?”

Add held a bitter smirk. “I ran into her myself. She sent her servant after me. It was a good thing I was fast or else…” Elsword could feel a faint sense of fear in Add.

“It’s great you’re definitely alive then.” Elsword tried to lighten the mood by patting Add’s back. “I have to report this. But as to where I got the info, I think I’ll place it on random civilians. That should work. If I don’t say anything who knows what will--” Elsword paused.

Add wanted to call out his name but he didn’t know Elsword’s actual name. So instead he said, “Immortal?”

Elsword jolted in surprise. “Please, don’t call me that.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know your real name.”

Elsword’s expression softened. “Ah that’s my bad then. It’s okay. I’m Elsword. I don’t want to be reminded of certain things when I hear that other name.” Elsword stood up, rubbed his temples, and sighed. “Sorry, I’m really tired so I’m going to go to my room now.” Add nodded and watched Elsword disappear behind his room door. The TV droned on about a murder case and its investigation. Add sat there thinking about the possibilities of what will happen next.

Elsword held his cell in his hand. “Satan” was going to kill everyone without discrimination. Innocents would be killed. But at the same time, she might kill off some CCG investigators. Those investigators might be the foul ones and it was one of the only ways to be rid of them; death by a ghoul. Elsword shook his head. How could he be thinking such dark thoughts? He dialed Ara.

“Elsword? How are you doing?” Ara asked.

“I’m okay, thanks. Listen, Ara, there is something I need you to tell everyone back at headquarters…”


	5. Treading Tense Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Investigations upon missing people and strange recent activities of the ghouls fervently begin due to the appearance of 'Satan'. However, Elsword isn't allowed to join in much to his dismay. That doesn't stop him, however.

Everyone was in hysteria back at headquarters. Investigation teams were sent all over the city in search for clues.

“Are you going to call Elsword back?” Chung asked wary.

“No,” Raven replied. “Even though he is one of our strongest…” Raven paused to look at investigators running by. “You should know because you feel the same. No one trusts him right now after that night. He already showed signs of hesitation in the past and that was the topping on the cake.”

“You’re right. He’s beginning to have ‘sympathy’ for those monsters and because of this, I doubt him. Maybe one of them is brainwashing him? And if they are, they could trick him and harm him!”

“He’s too kind for his own good. But don’t worry. I have a plan. Once he meets ‘that ghoul,’ he’ll see how disgusting and treacherous those abominations are. If he can find him, that is.”

-/-/-/

Add tossed in his sleep and fell onto the floor from the couch. “Mrmph…” He mumbled as he opened his aching eyes. The first thing he noticed was that a soft blanket was placed upon him. The second thing was that rich coffee smell wafting throughout the room. He got up and checked around. Elsword was not present. Grumbling, Add got up to get a cup and switch on the TV.

-/-/-/-/

Things were too quiet. They were probably awaiting for the night time, Elsword thought. He did pick up some commotion that had been happening yesterday though. Homeless people who lived under the giant tree had vanished. People assumed it was the police chasing them away but there was no evidence of that. A few times, Elsword saw other fellow investigators poking their noses about. In those times, he would hide. After a long search, Elsword came home around the evening.

“Find anything out?” Add asked as he filled out some puzzle from a book he must have bought.

“Not really. I expected them to go on a rampage by now but it’s been quiet. The only thing I learned was that the people who lived under the tree disappeared,” Elsword stated.

“They must have fled. Most if not all of them were ghouls.”

“I feel so unsettled.”

“Who wouldn’t be?”

Just then, Elsword’s phone rang and he picked up. “Hey Ara.”

“Elsword…it’s…it’s horrible! A team of our coworkers were all killed!” Ara cried. “The worst part was that they were not well fit to fight! They thought the area they were sent to was safe because it was in broad daylight. Someone we knew was part of that team too! Aisha…she was with them and now…” Ara could be heard sobbing over the phone. Elsword grit his teeth.

“When’s the funeral?” Elsword asked soft.

“...They will be holding it tomorrow, but…”

“But?”

“The boss says you can’t attend.”

“What?! Why not?! This is important. They were our comrades!”

“He says he won’t give it to you if you come and that he’ll extend the time. I don’t know what he meant by giving something to you though.”

Elsword slammed the wall with his fist. “I see. I’m sorry I can’t go, Ara. I’m sorry to Aisha and her team too. Can you bring my flowers to the funeral for them? Tell them that they were great and to rest in peace for me too.”

“Sure, I can do that…I’ll meet you tomorrow at eight then.”

“Ok.” Elsword hung up. “Damn it!”

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?” Add asked in a soft voice in efforts to not fuel Elsword’s anger.

Elsword heaved a long and loud sigh. “I bet it’s them. I bet it’s ‘Satan’ and her companion. They killed some of my friends.”

Add narrowed his eyes. “Coworkers, you mean?”

Elsword remained quiet for a minute before responding. “I didn’t really hate them or dislike them. Sure, they probably didn’t trust me like everyone else but before that, they treated me okay.”

“Heh, serves them right.”

“Add!” Elsword glared at him.

Add lounged on the couch with a hand to support his head.“Listen, Elsword. You above all else should know this. The world out there is a harsh place where only the strongest survive. However, I’m not saying it was because they were weak that they deserved it. I’m saying that whom you’re calling ‘friends’ aren’t actually your friends. You think they are, but as soon as you do something out of line, they turn their backs on you.” Elsword’s arms fell limp in defeat. There wasn’t anything he could say to that. He didn’t think they deserved that kind of fate but it was true that what they did wasn’t right. “Karma man, karma.” Add cackled. “Who knows? I might be next. But I already know I did some horrible things. It’s those people who don’t know, don’t think, or don’t want to admit that they did anything wrong that are gonna fall hard.”

-/-/-/

The next day, Elsword handed Ara some flowers to give to the departed. He couldn’t help but to be kind during these times despite what Add had said. It was polite after all and would make a good impression; not that Elsword had that first in mind, though.

Elsword stared out his window, wondering what the CCG was going to do next. Knowing Raven, they would send even more investigators out to find “Satan.” Raven always felt regret and sadness when a comrade died but his vengeance pushed past those feelings. ‘ _ _In order to save some, you have to sacrifice some__ ,’ he believed. Before, Elsword was naive, insisting and believing that everyone could be saved. However, after a few years, he realized that it wasn’t possible. They could try, but there is always going to be that chance that things will fail. Elsword wondered if he was going to be called in but to his astonishment, he heard nothing. It’s not like he approved of what “Satan” was doing or such. Did they distrust him that much?

Add was sound asleep on the couch. “…Mmm…Mommy…” Add murmured. A few tears fell from under his eyelids. Elsword gazed at him for awhile in sympathy but also in surprise. Before he knew it, Elsword found himself wiping away the tears. Maybe Add’s parents were murdered. Add continued to murmur unintelligible things and began to toss and turn. Elsword hesitated at first, but then he brought his hand close and stroked Add’s head. Add calmed down and his face became peaceful.

“How cute,” Elsword found himself saying.

-/-/-/

Attacks occurred in random intervals. There seemed to be no pattern to them. Investigators started to speculate that some of these attacks weren’t even solely from “Satan” and her servant of whom they started to call “Cerberus.” People in the city began to panic at the rising rate of missing people. Authorities attempted to keep civil peace but people still had their doubts. Rumors of the ghouls taking over began to surface. Most of the population were skeptical, ignorant, or knew nothing about the creatures’ existence. Those who didn’t believe in ghouls thought that the “kidnapping” was due to an extreme terrorist group. Things, to say the least, were getting out of hand.

And yet, Elsword still hadn’t heard from his boss. But that didn’t stop him. He received updates from Ara and help from Add to find the culprits.

“So, what I’ve heard, there’s a plan that’s gonna be executed in a week or so. ‘Satan’ and her dog have been riling up other ghouls indirectly. Someone rose to lead those ghouls and they plan to cause mass murder against people and ‘crows.’ Saying that it was their chance and all that,” Add stated after he took a sip from his coffee. He stared at his now clean hands. Just a day before they were stained with blood from a dead victim from a ghoul’s attack. It was a young man, Add remembered, maybe around Elsword’s age; a derivation from his usual kind of meals. His eyes glided to Elsword and in that moment he felt a short pinch of panic thinking about what would happen if he or anyone else murdered him. He shook off the thought and for the first time, Add felt a little scared of killing someone. Why did he feel this way? It was weird. He had only known Elsword for about two weeks or so. He stared down at the coffee Elsword made for him. A tiny smile spread natural upon his lips.

“Well that’s not good,” Elsword commented. Elsword had always been in a bad mood ever since he was left out of the investigation. Therefore, he was often sarcastic and acted as if he didn’t care much.

“I keep telling you to just let it go. Let this be a lesson for them. They’ll suffer some losses and everyone will blame them! Then after, they will come crawling back to you for help.”

Elsword sighed. “You know I can’t do that. If I don’t do anything then innocents would be sacrificed. I have to at least try to save those who are left.”

Add hummed in interest. Elsword was aware that innocent people and ghouls had already died plus he seemed to know that there was no absolute way to save everyone. He still had a good heart, refusing to use underhanded methods. But Add wondered how long could Elsword could keep this up. “I was totally expecting you to be the kind of guy who thinks that everyone can be saved.”

Elsword remained silent for a few minutes before responding. “I used to think that way. But when reality hits you, you just realize a whole bunch of things. I don’t want sacrifices but there are going to be some anyway. I don’t want anyone to die but I won’t always be there. That’s why I have to do what I can.”

“What about the people who deserved it?”

“I don’t think anyone ‘deserves’ to be killed.” Elsword gazed out the window. A dark look passed his face. “But I’m not gonna lie, there are those who are better off dead.”

Add hummed in amusement. He saw Elsword standing on a thin borderline. What will be the catalyst or the saving grace that will pull him to one side?


	6. Trust Can Be A Fickle Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsword is finally called back to work but what he's expected to do isn't what he expected. In fact, it's astonishing, suspicious, and out of no where.

“You want me to report to office…?” Elsword asked bewildered that Raven had finally called him in. He paced back and forth agitated. Was he finally going to be able to help everyone properly?

“You heard me. I’m officially giving you a job, but it isn’t related to ‘Satan.’ Come to my office now for details,” Raven said before hanging up. Upon hearing this, Elsword’s heart sank. This won’t do! What does he mean not on the “Satan” case?! That should be top priority right now! They only had less than a week to prevent major things from happening and making things worse! Shouldn’t they need all the help they can get for the upcoming crisis?!

Elsword tapped the table with his fingers, his brows furrowed, and his other hand under his chin. This would mean that he had to finish whatever this job was fast. But why at such a crucial time? Something wasn’t right. ‘ _ _I guess I have to see what it is first, then__ ,’ Elsword thought in dismay. He wished Add was there for him to consult with. He couldn’t even talk to Ara at the moment in fear of her being overheard. Right now, however, he couldn’t waste any more time or else Raven might change his mind. Elsword scribbled a note and left it on the table before heading out towards work.

-/-/

Elsword drew in a deep breath as he stood before Raven’s office door. While walking here, he noticed and felt uneasy stares and distrusting glares directed towards him. How could they be feeling and acting like this now with something dire going on?

Elsword braced himself as he opened the door. The atmosphere froze cold in an instant. Raven sat there in his chair staring ahead with his hands under his chin and unreadable eyes. The silence between them constricted Elsword like a snake. He wished for Raven to say something since he couldn’t bring himself to even emit a single word. Raven and everyone else weren’t looking at him as a comrade any longer. Elsword wasn’t even sure if they were even looking at him as a human being.

This must be how ghouls feel like, stared down as if they don’t have a right to live.

Raven shifted and held his mechanical arm. “It aches,” Raven stated, breaking the silence. “That can only mean that the ghouls are about to do something drastic. I can’t forget the day when my fiance was killed before my very eyes by one of those monsters. That’s what they are, heartless monsters. They don’t only take your life but they take everything you love, absolutely everything you have until there is nothing left.” Raven paused, expecting a response but Elsword remained quiet, his eyes glimmering clear from any other believes than his own. Upon seeing this, Raven sighed as if he had no choice. He pulled out a folder from his desk that had “CONFIDENTIAL” in big red letters slapped across it. “Here.” Elsword, with cautious strides, came closer to the desk. His hand, tentative and shaking, opened the folder to reveal a blurry photo and a short description.

Elsword bit his lip before asking in a shaky voice, “…This is?”

“A…” Raven paused for a brief second. “S+ rank ghoul. It’s called ‘Herrscher.’ It was last seen in the ‘Void’ ward.” Elsword peered at the photo closer. It was difficult to tell for sure but it seemed like ‘Herrscher’ had a rinkaku kagune. Many tentacle like tails or arms were stretched across the photo but the face was unseen. “I want you to track it down and eliminate it on your own without anyone’s help, including Ara.”

“By myself? But Ara is always with me on assigned missions. Why not now?”

“You have enough power to take it down on your own. In the meantime, Ara will help out here with the SSS threat, ‘Satan.’ When you come back from this job, I’ll also assign you to help. However, I recently heard rumors that ‘Herscherr’ has been seen and we can’t let this lead get away. You know how hard it is to track ghouls at times.”

“That may be true, but, shouldn’t ‘Satan’ be top priority since she’s SSS rated? Isn’t this being taken too lightly?! You need all the help you can get now before something really bad happens!” Elsword couldn’t help but to get worked up about this situation. Something nagged Elsword at the back of his head like a warning bell. This was all too abnormal.

“I of course, realize that. However, **_**_don’t underestimate your colleagues_**_**.” Raven said that line with such coldness and edge that it made Elsword step back on instinct. Why did he say that and why in that manner? “We are also calling for other investigators in other wards for help and assimilating an army with advanced technology. We can definitely manage while you’re gone. Don’t get on your high horse. After all, you’re just one man.” It seemed like there was no budging Raven on his decision. Elsword swiped the folder off the desk burned and humiliated in defeat. “You will do this now and alone. Do not tell anyone, not even Ara, or it might cause even more panic. We have enough to handle. Am I clear?” Not tell Ara? It’s not like he didn’t tell her a lot of things but this time he had wanted to in case she got worried. Elsword didn’t want to respond. “ ** _ ** _Am I clear, First Class Investigator Elsword_**_**?”

Shivers ran down Elsword’s spine. Raven never treated him like this. He always was like a tiny warm flame that kept its distance. But now, Raven was a cold and sharp quinque being pointed at him as if he were a dangerous ghoul. If Elsword wanted to bolt out of there, he had no choice but to respond. “Y-yes, sir.” Elsword turned to leave but Raven said one last thing that shook him to his core.

“By the way, __‘__ ** _ ** _Herscherr’ was the one who murdered your sister and friend_**_**. Make sure it no longer hurts and takes from anyone else.”

The blood drained from Elsword’s face and his stomach plummet. His vision blurred and the room felt as if it was spinning. Heat flashed within his body causing him to sweat. Raven stared in silence as Elsword stood there trying to regain his composure for a good five minutes. He wiped his face and wobbled away without looking back. He felt that if he revealed his current expression to Raven, he would feel some sort of defeat or lost of control. Once out of sight, Elsword heaved in deep breaths with his head swarming with many questions and emotions. His feet took him to where his quinque was located.

Ara happened to be there. She watched Elsword act like a zombie as he picked up his suitcase. “Elsword?” No response. She tapped his shoulder. “Elsword?”

“Huh? Oh…Ara. Hi, I’m here to pick this up,” Elsword mumbled as he began to walk out of the room.

“Ah, I made sure the trackers placed on your suitcase were either destroyed or taken to random destinations. After a while they gave up. Anyways, I’m glad you’re allowed to come back to help us! But, you don’t look well…did something happen?” Elsword paused and turned to flash her a sad smile. Ara understood. Whenever Elsword did that, he meant: ‘ _ _I appreciate your concern but right now I would like to be alone. It’s not something I can talk about right now__.’ Ara did her best to hide her worry. “Have a safe trip, Elsword.” As she watched him leave, a strange emptiness filled her heart. She clutched her quinque spear and whispered, “Eun, please watch over him.”

 Elsword headed home dazed and unaware of his surroundings causing him to bump into many obstacles. When he made to his door, he stumbled inside almost falling to the floor. Add, however, caught him in time.

“Woah, there! What’s the matter? What happened? I saw the note.” Add said as he eased Elsword upon the couch. Elsword remained dazed for a few more minutes before looking up at Add with troubled and poignant eyes. “Elsword?”

In distress, Elsword pulled on his hair while he wore a grimace. “I don’t know what to do, Add.” Add sat down next to him. The moment he did, Elsword grabbed him by the shoulders. “You’re the only one I can talk to!”

“Hey, hey, calm down!” Add said, taken aback by Elsword’s sudden change in emotions and actions. “What did they want?”

Elsword scooped up the folder that had fallen to the floor and handed it to Add. “This. They wanted me to eliminate somebody. But I don’t understand! Why now when help is needed here! Who knows, ‘Satan’ might be doing something right now! And not only that, this is way too personal for me! This timing…it makes no sense!”

Add furrowed his brows as he looked at the big red letters. Elsword was right. This was too strange. Unless this ghoul he was to chase had something to do with ‘Satan?’ Seems unlikely. Add opened the folder. When he saw the photo and the name, his fingers trembled. His mouth opened agape, wanting to say something but words failed him. “I don’t know if I can do it…” Elsword held his head in his hands. “I used to be waiting for this chance ever since I became an investigator. But now, I’m not so sure anymore. This ‘Herscherr’ guy, he’s the one who…who killed my sister and best friend.”

Add’s eyes widened. This was bad. Add wasn’t sure exactly how but all of this was just bad, suspicious, and weird. “E-elsword…Are you sure this is the guy?” Add’s mind whirled trying to connect pieces. There were so many things he wanted to ask and so many things he wanted clarified. Was this actually the guy they wanted you to eliminate? Was this really the guy who caused you suffering? Why did they ask you to do this now? Are you okay with this? What the hell is going on?!

“Yeah…my boss told me he wanted me to get rid of this guy…on my own. He also said that he was the one who killed my sister and friend, but, that I don’t know for sure. I can only go by his word. But I would feel so much better if it weren’t true…”

“Wait…alone?! No! Elsword, you can’t do this! This guy--” Add cut himself off and looked back at the description. There was a dark scribble blocking something at the top. Add felt the anxiety creeping up his insides.

“I don’t want to be a hypocrite and now that I’m older, I think differently now. I feel like this should have induced my rage but instead all I feel is uncertainty.” Elsword clutched his chest with one hand. “My heart won’t stop beating fast.”

“That’s-- That’s not it! I mean it’s cool that you didn’t get hotheaded but-- hold on. Just hold on. Let me gather my thoughts.” Add held a hand to his head while holding a hand in front of Elsword. After a few minutes, Add drew in a deep breath. “Okay. First, I want you to tell me exactly everything that just happened and what was said to you.”

Elsword recounted the few moments earlier making sure to be as accurate as possible. “Something…just feels so unsettling to me. And it’s not only the looks everyone gave me.”

Add cursed under his breath. Things were way worse that he thought. “You’re right…there’s so many things wrong and strange that I don’t even know where to start. From what I’m gathering, I have a strong inclination to believe that they are trying to get rid of you.”

Elsword showed no signs of surprise. “I didn’t want to think that but I can’t deny the feeling of animosity I felt while I was there. Making an investigator go after a high ranking ghoul is one of the only ways to get rid of them without backlash or suspicion as well.”

“This also might have been a last ditch effort to get you back completely on their side. They tried to prey on your emotions by telling you that ‘Herscherr’ was the one who killed your sister and friend. If you let those emotions take a hold of you, they would think that you still harbor hatred towards us. And if you successfully assassinate the guy, they might feel that they could trust you. However, if you don’t succeed, they would have eliminated a serious threat or nuisance. Whether or not he’s the actual culprit, I don’t know. But what I do know is that they are sending you on a wild goose chase and to your death.” Add pointed to the scratched out mark. “He told you he’s S+ rated but that could be far from the truth. If he’s the ‘Herscherr’ I heard about, I would rate him at the least SS+. He could even be a SSS. What’s even more is that he’s nearly impossible to find. He’s a sort of mythical ghoul among us. Which is why I’m telling you not go after him. I’ve heard stories where he is the one responsible for turning the ‘Void’ ward for what it is. He’s kind of like ‘Satan’ but instead he wiped out absolutely everyone and I mean everyone. Not only humans but ghouls as well. Nothing is left, even to today.” Add shivered. “However… that was some time back and no one has seen him since. But if you’re actively looking for him…I don’t think you’ll survive. If you find him, that is.”

Elsword didn’t bat an eye. “Even so, I want to find him. In fact, I have a feeling I should. Not to kill him but to ask him if he really did kill my sister and friend and why. Maybe, then, depending on the answer, I’ll finally feel at peace.”

Add wanted to yell, ‘Are you crazy?!’ However, that genuine honesty and heartfelt feeling Elsword portrayed prevented him from doing so. Elsword was going through so much lengths to understand his kind even if it is with someone as dangerous as “Herscherr.” “Man, you’re such an idiot. You think he’s going to answer you just like that?”

“Well, you listened to me.”

Add blushed and turned away to hide his face. “Not all of them are like me. I’m pretty sure you know that.”

“You never know. Besides, I can’t exactly do nothing and come back empty handed. I really would like to help everyone here as fast as possible. I just hope they can hold the fort here or even better, resolve this whole thing. I don’t doubt my coworkers and all the people they are bringing in but I still worry.”

Add heaved a long sigh. “You’re still talking about your ‘friends’ as if they still care about you? Watch. If and I mean IF we do find him, he’s going to attack on sight and reduce you to nothing. None of your ‘friends’ are going to even miss you.”

“ _ _We__?”

“We-well, I mean, I can’t just let you go alone like that. What if something happens to you? So, I’m coming along. It’s not like your boss knows about me anyway. Besides, I’m curious.”

“But I thought ‘Herscherr’ terrifies you.”

“Look, I…I don’t think we’ll find him. So I’m not worried. I’ll be bored here by myself so it all works out. I’m fast so if something happens we can flee the scene. We’ll get you through this.” All of these bad situations left a bad taste in Add’s mouth. It made him pretty disgusted to see the CCG throw out one of their members like that. He felt uneasy about going after ‘Herscherr’ but he also felt uneasy about what will happen while they were gone. It irked him that for now Elsword was playing along with the CCG’s plans but then again, there weren’t many options to follow at this point. Most of all, he felt worried about Elsword and how this event might change him.

“That’s reassuring. Thanks, Add, for coming with me and listening. I have someone else I can count on now.” Elsword beamed at Add causing him to become speechless. “We’ll head out tomorrow. For now, I need to rest and sort myself out. Night.”

Add nodded and watched Elsword disappear into his room. Add turned on the TV to distract himself. Not that it helped, though. All the news channels kept on spewing about the missing and deceased while the government was trying to keep it under control.

Was going to find “Herscherr” really the right choice?


End file.
